Stacking and nesting basket

ABSTRACT

A wire basketlike container construction having no moving parts and which is such that a plurality of said containers can be selectively engaged in vertical stacked and interengaged nested engagement with each other by varying the relative rotative position of adjacent containers 180*; and a construction where an upper frame of one container is engaged about a lower frame of an upper adjacent container when the containers are stacked whereby the containers are restrained from lateral shifting and displacement.

United States Patent References Cited [72] Inventor RlchardE. Wells ED wWW w WW 2 nm S mm m m m." m T mNm A m P u S m M W E u mm Ne" Tmmmm SUFEGwr mmn nllF N46 6 Uww 9 l/ H 88 3 47 9 65 0 24 4 59 2 2 22 l w m M H u cM m w n W. A m m 1, 6 072 I Mm m 1.39" 3M92- 52 .1 2 aw m 5W7 3 ZAN 0 oN w Mmm Hmu AFP N. HUM

1,449,002 7/1966 France.................

Primary Examiner-George E. Lowrance AtlorneyGeorges A. Maxwell SKETABSTRACT: A wire basketlike contalner construction having [54] STACKINGAND NESTING BA no movin arts and which is such that a luralit of saidcon- 8 Claims 12 Drawing Figs tainers ca n be selectively engaged invertical sta cked and in- [52] [1.8. 220/19, terengaged nestedengagement with each other by varying the 220/97A relative relativeposition of adjacent containers 180; and a [51] Int. 865d 7/20,construction where an upper frame of one container is en- B65d 21/04gaged about a lower frame of an upper adjacent container [50] Field220/19, 97 y the containers are A, 97 D cement.

when the containers are stacked whereb restrained from lateral shiftingand displa PATENTEDNBY 23 ml SHEET 2 BF 3 en/Or H/c/va/a 1.? d9

STACKING AND NESTING BASKET This invention has to do with that class ofcontainers in which foodstuffs and the like can be advantageouslydeposited and which can be advantageously and safely stacked, one atopanother when filled, or telescopically engaged and nested one withinanother, when empty, as desired and as circumstances require.

In the art of handling foodstuffs, such as cartoned eggs, ice cream andother packaged refrigerated or frozen foods, it is common practice toemploy heavy-duty wire basketlike containers in which a predeterminedamount or number of packages of foodstufi" can be deposited. Thebasketlike containers are commonly provided in predetermined sizes toproperly receive a number or gross weight of food cartons or packagesthat can, along with the containers, be safely and conveniently manuallyhandled and manipulated and are such that they provide for: the freeflow of cool or refrigerated air therethrough; visual inspection of thecontents; and, easy and convenient cleaning.

It has become common practice to provide such containers with specialmeans whereby the containers can, when filled, be stacked one on top ofanother, without damage to the products contained therein and so thatmaximum use of the space in which they are to be arranged, for storageor transport, is made possible. i

It has also become common practice to establish such containers so thatwhen they are empty and not in use they can be telescopically engagedand nested one within another so as to facilitate their being handledand to conserve of storage space and the like.

The prior art has found little or no difiiculty in providing wirecontainers that can be stacked one atop another and has found little orno difficulty in providing wire containers that can be telescopicallyengaged and nested one within the other, but has found difficulty inestablishing such containers that can be stacked and nested. Suchdifficulty is experienced because the open top of such containers mustbe larger in inside dimensions than the outside dimensions of theirlower ends in order to allow for one container to be entered intoanother for nesting purposes. Such a relationship of parts or portionsof such containers makes it apparently impossible to permit the smalllower end of one container to engage the larger open top of another toestablish supporting engagement therewith and effect stacking of thecontainers.

To overcome the above-noted difficulty experienced by the prior art, theprior art has adopted container structures which are capable of beingnested one within another, as suggested above and has provided pairs ofbaillike stacking bails at opposite sides of the open tops of thecontainers which can be pivoted to occur within the open top of theirrelated containers to engage the bottom and support another containerarranged thereabove and which can be pivoted to occur outside theirrelated container, leaving the interior thereof unobstructed and capableof receiving another container in nesting relationship therewith.

The provision of stacking bails on wire containers, such as referred toabove, is not wholly desirable as the provision of such bails representa substantial added expense, requires special, time-consuming andinconvenient manipulation. Further, such bails are subject to mechanicalfailure as a result of bending springing and misalignment of the bailsand/or their related containers.

An object of my invention is to provide a novel container constructionwhich is such that a plurality of such containers can be easily,conveniently and safely stacked one on top of another or can betelescopically engaged and nested one within another, as desired.

Another object of my invention is to provide a container construction ofthe character referred to above which includes no moving elements orparts which must be manually manipulated or otherwise worked upon oroperated to efiect the stacking or nesting together of a plurality ofsuch containers.

It is an object and feature of my invention to provide a container ofthe character referred to having upper and lower,

rectangular, horizontal, wire frames defining the top and bottom edgesof the container and a container wherein the upper wire frames issubstantially the same or slightly greater in inside dimensions than theoutside dimensions of the lower frame whereby the lower frame or onecontainer can be freely or slidably entered into and received by theupper frame of another like container.

Still another object or feature of the present invention is to provide acontainer construction of the character referred to having end andsidewalls defined by pluralities of substantially vertically extendingwire columns spaced longitudinally of and extending between relatedsides and ends of the upper and lower frames, the upper ends of thecolumns being fixed to the exterior or lower side of the upper frame andthe lower ends of bars being fixed to the interior or top side of thelower frame whereby the bars will not prevent or interfere with theengagement of a lower frame of one container in and with the upper frameof another container.

Yet another object and feature of the present invention is to provide acontainer construction of the character referred to wherein the upperend portions of two or more of the columns at opposite sides or ends ofthe container are support columns having horizontal support portionsprojecting laterally inwardly on or below the plane of the bottom planeof the upper frame to stop the lower frame of a like container engagedin said upper frame and to support the containers in stackedrelationship, with the lower frame of the upper container contained andrestrained from lateral shifting and displacement by the upper frame ofthe lower container.

Another object and feature of this invention is to provide a containerof the character referred to wherein support columns with their supportportions, at the opposite sides or at of the container are spaced fromeach other so the support bars at one side or end of the container occurin vertical transverse planes between the sides or ends of thecontainers in which they occur which are laterally offset from thevertical longitudinal planes between the sides or ends of the containerin which the support columns at the other or opposite side or end of thecontainer occur and a construction wherein each side or ends of thelower frame at the sides or ends of the container along which thesupport columns occur is provided with spaced laterally outwardlyopening notches in those vertical planes on which the support columns atthe other or opposite side or end of the container occur whereby thesupport columns and recesses of two vertically aligned containers arenormally in vertical alignment so that the upper container willtelescopically enter and establish nesting engagement in the lowercontainer and so that when one of the containers is rotated about itscentral vertical axis and relative to the other container the supportbars at the newly related sides or ends of the containers are out ofregister or alignment and the support portions of the bars engage thelower frame member of the upper container at points spaced from therecess therein.

Another object and feature of my invention is to provide a containerconstruction of the general character referred to above which includesstop means to limit vertical engagement and nesting of one containerinto another and including downwardly disposed stop shoulders on thesides and ends of the container, spaced between the upper and lowerframes and adopted to engage and stop against the top of the upper frameof another container in which the container is engaged and nested, saidstop means is preferably established by a central horizontal framesimilar to the top frame and fixed to the outer sides of the columns.

The foregoing and other objects and features of the instant inventionwill be fully understood and will be apparent from the followingdetailed description of typical preferred forms and applications of theinvention, throughout which description reference is inade to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a container embodying the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken as indicated by line 2-2 one FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken as indicated by line 3-3 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken as indicated by line 4-4 on FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a view taken as indicated by line 5-5 on FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an isometric view showing two containers arranged in stackedrelationship;

FIG. 7 is an isometric view showing two containers arranged in nestedrelationship;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken as indicated by line 8-8 on FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken as indicated by line 9-9 on FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken as indicated by line 10-10 on FIG. 6;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken as indicated by line 11-ll on FIG. 7,and

FIG. 12 is an isometric view showing another form of container embodyingthe present invention. The container construction provided by thepresent invention and as illustrated in FIG. 1 through 11 and in thatembodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 12 of the drawings includesupper and lower rectangular frame members U and L arranged in verticallyspaced horizontal planes and a plurality of substantially verticallyextending columns C arranged in spaced relationship about to extendbetween and fixed to the frame members.

The upper rectangular frame members U has straight parallel sides 10 andstraight parallel ends 11.

The lower rectangular frame member L has straight parallel sides 12 andsubstantially straight ends 14.

The upper frame U is substantially equal in inside dimensions with theoutside dimensions of the lower frame L and so that the lower frame Lcan be freely received in and accommodated by one upper frame U.

In the first form of the invention the frames U and L are established offiat, ribbonlike wire or bar stock, rectangular in cross section, withthe major dimension of said stock on vertical planes and so that theframes have flat top and bottom edges 15 and 16 and flat, vertical,inside and outside surfaces 17 and 18.

In practice and as shown in FIG. 12 of the drawings, the stock fromwhich the frame members U and L' are made can be round wire or rodstock.

In addition to the foregoing, the lower frames, on at least two oppositesides, are provided with longitudinally spaced inwardly projectingoffsets defining laterally outwardly opening notches.

In the first form of the invention, the ends 13 of the lower frames Lare provided with a pair or two longitudinally spaced, laterallyinwardly projecting offsets 19 defining spaced laterally outwardlyopening notches 20.

In the form of the invention shown in FIG. 12 of the drawings, the sides12' are provided with offsets l9 defining laterally outwardly openingnotches 20', there being three such ofisets spaced along each side.

In the first form of the invention, the offsets 19 and the notches 20defined thereby at the opposite ends of the container occur on twolaterally spaced longitudinal parallel planes spaced different distancesfrom the central longitudinal vertical plane of the container anddifferent distances from their adjacent sides of the container, asclearly illustrated in FIGS. 1, 6 and 7 of the drawings.

The columns C about and extending between the upper and lower frames Uand L are alike, each being a substantially straight vertically lengthof wire or bar stock. The upper ends of the columns occur adjacent theouter surfaces 18 of the upper frame U and are fixed thereto as by spotwelding and the lower ends of the columns occur adjacent the innersurface 17 of the lower frame U and are fixed thereto as by spot weldingor the like.

With the above relationship of parts, it will be apparent that theinside surfaces 17 of the upper frame is clear and unobstructed by thecolumns and the outside surfaces of the lower frame L are clear andunobstructed by the rails whereby the columns do not interfere with orimpede the entry of the lower frame of one container into or through theupper frame o.' another like container.

The upper and/or lower ends of the columns could, if desired, be fixedto the upper and lower edges of their related frames without departingfrom the spirit of this invention, as such a relationship would, as isrequired, leave the inside of the upper frame and outside of the lowerframe unobstructed and permit free interengagement of upper and lowerframes as is required and as will be made apparent in the following.

In addition to the regular or common columns C described above, thecontainer includes a number of special support columns S. The columns Sare substantially vertically extending columns occuring at the ends ofthe container in common planes with the notches 20. The upper ends ofthe columns S are fixed to the upper frame and are provided withlaterally inwardly projecting horizontal supports, parts, or portions Hwhich project inwardly into the container, adjacent the lower edges ofthe frame U. The support portions H project inwardly from the innersurface 17 of the frame U a distance slightly greater than the verticalplanes on which the inner surfaces 17 of the ends of the lower frame Loccur and a distance slightly less than the vertical planes on which thebottoms or inner most parts of the recesses 20 occur.

The notches 20 extend longitudinally of their related ends of the frameL a distance substantially greater than the diarnetric extent orthickness of the column S and the support portions H and are positionedso that the support portions occur in vertical planes substantiallymidway between the lateral extremities, ends or sides of the notches.With such a relationship, considerable tolerances can be and areprovided.

The major or remaining portion of the columns 8 extend downwardly fromthe inner ends of the support portions H and their lower ends are fixedto the inside surface 17 of the lower frame L. Since the supportportions H and notch defining offset portions 19 of the frame L occur invertical alignment, the portions of the columns S extending from thesupport portions to the inside surface 17 of the frame U, must beinclined laterally or, as illustrated, have laterally offset lowerportions X so that their lower ends will not obstruct the notches andwill meet or join the surface 17, at one side of the offsets 19, asclearly illustrated in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5 of the drawings.

In practice, if necessary or desired, the support portion H can beshort, separate parts carried by the frame U, having a suitably dressedor turned inner end, as illustrated in dotted lines in FIG. 4 of thedrawings. In such a case, the support columns S are not provided and theends of the container can be closed or defined by a number ofappropriately located columns C.

The bottom B of the container can be established or defined by anysuitable means or structure and is shown as defined by a plurality oflongitudinally spaced laterally extending pairs of straight wires orrods fixed to and extending between the bottom edges 16 of the lowerframe L.

The columns defining the sides and ends of the container are inclinedgently, downwardly and laterally inwardly and such that one suchcontainer can be telescopically engaged and nested into and with anotherlike container.

With the structure thus far described, and referring to FIGS. 6, 8 and10 of the drawings, it will be apparent that when two such containersare arranged in vertical alignment, one above the other and the uppercontainer is rotated about its central vertical axis so that therecesses 20 in the ends of its lower frame L are misaligned with thesupports or support portions H at the ends of the lower containeradjacent thereto, the lower frame L of the upper container can be freelyentered into the confines of the upper frame U of the lower container,whereupon the lower edge 16 of the said frame L engages, stops againstand is supported by the supports H, as clearly illustrated in FIGS. 6and 10 of the drawings.

(In FIGS. 6 and 7 of the drawings, the number of columnsC and the numberof pairs of bottom-defining rods has been materially reduced so as torender the drawing less full and complicated and to better illustratethe invention).

When the containers are thus stacked, it will be noted that since thecolumns C extend between the outer surface of the larger upper frame Uand the inner surface of the smaller lower frame L, the outer surfaces18 and the inner surfaces 17 of the interengaged frames L and U are inopposing relationship, and the upper frame of the lower containereffectively retains and prevents lateral and/or longitudinal shifting ofthe lower frame of the upper container and thereby prevents lateral,and/or longitudinal displacement of the two-stacked containers relatedto each other.

Referring next to FIGS. 7, 9 and 11 of the drawings, it will be apparentthat upon lifting the uppermost of the stacked containers and rotatingit l80 about its central vertical axis, so that the supports or supportportions H at each end of the lower container are aligned with thenotches 20 at the ends of the frame L of the upper container andthereafter lowering the upper container, it will be apparent that thenotches at the lower end of the upper container will move downwardly bythe supports H and the upper container will telescopically enter thelower container and will eventually stop in nestingengagement therein,as illustrated.

In addition to the foregoing, the container construction provided canand is shown as including an intermediate reinforcing frame 1 extendingabout and fixed to the columns C and S on a horizontal plane spacedbetween the upper and lower frames U and L. The frame I is shown formedof round wire stock; is equal in inside and outside dimensions with theupper frame U and is fixed to the outer sides of the columns by spotwelding or the like.

The intermediate frame I, in addition to reinforcing the container, isspaced vertically so that when a pair of containers are nested onewithin the other, the frame I of the uppermost container engages andstops against the upper edge of the upper frame of the lowermostcontainer, as clearly illustrated in FIGS. 7, 9 and 11 of the drawings,this relationship of parts limits engagement of the upper container intothe lower container and eliminates the possibility of the containersestablishing snug or locked wedging engagement with each other.

In the form of the invention illustrated, the columns C are formed toestablish a downwardly and outwardly opening seat to receive the portionof the frame I related thereto, to facilitate orienting the frame I andto provide a stronger and more durable structure.

In practice, the extent to which one container can enter another fornesting and storage purposes can, to a great ex tent, be controlled byvertical placement of the intermediate frame I. In FIG. 1 of thedrawings, the frame I is shown positioned about one-third from the topand somewhat higher than are the frames I in FIGS. 6 and 7 of thedrawings which are midway between the top and bottom. With such adistinction or difference, it will be apparent that containers such asshown in FIG. 1 will nest deeper, one within another than will thecontainer shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

Referring once again to the form of the invention illustrated in FIG. 12of the drawings, the notches 20' along each side of the lower frame Uare spaced equidistant one from the other and the notches 20' on onesideof the frame are on lateral vertical planes offset from and midwaybetween the lateral vertical planes on which the notches on the otherside of the frame U occur.

The columns C at the corners and ends of the container are simplestraight rods fixed to and extending between the outer side of the upperfame and the inside of the lower frame.

The columns at and along the sides of the container are each supportcolumns S having horizontal supports or support portions fixed to theunderside of the upper frame and projecting inwardly into the containerand having substantially vertical portions depending and fixed to theinside of the lower frame L. In the case illustrated, the bottom of thecontainer is defined by extensions of the columns S extending laterallyacross the lower frame L of the container.

The columns S on each side of the container are spaced between thenotches 20 on their related sides of the container and on common lateralvertical planes with the notches 20 on the other or opposite side of thecontainer. The free ends of the bottom-defining portions of the columnsare fixed to the under sides of those notch-defining projections whichoccur in a common plane therewith.

With the structure illustrated in FIG. 12 and described above, it willbe apparent that when two such containers are arranged one above theother and the upper container is in a rotative position where itsnotches 20' are out of register with the supports H of the lowercontainer, the frame L of the upper container will enter the frame U ofthe lower container and will be stopped and supported by the supports Hof the lower container, with the frame L of the upper container retainedin and by the upper frame U of the lower container.

It will be further apparent that by rotating one of the containersrelative to the other, the notches 20' of the upper container arealigned with the supports H and columns S of the lower container and sothat when the upper container is lowered, it will telescopically enterand nest in the lower container.

The container construction shown in FIGS. 1 through 11 of the drawingsis a deep container suitable for handling and storing cartons of eggs,while the container shown in FIG. 12 of the drawings is a shallow,traylike container suitable for handling cartoned ice cream and thelike.

Containers of different and intermediate size and proportion from thecontainers shown are provided for items such as cartoned milk and thelike. Such other containers can be established in accordance with eitherform of the invention illustrated and can, if desired, be established ofcertain desired and selected features contained in each form of theinvention illustrated.

Having described typical preferred forms and applications of myinvention, I do not wish to be limited to the specific details hereinset forth, but wish to reserve to myself all variations andmodifications which appear to those skilled in the art to which theinvention relates.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A rigid container for the reception of goods and adapted to beselectively engaged with like containers in vertical stacked or nestedengagement, said container comprising: a rectangular lower frame, arectangular upper frame above the lower frame, the outside dimensions ofthe lower frame being less than the inside dimensions of the upperframe, a plurality of vertically extending columns spaced about theframes with upper ends fixed to the upper frame outward of the innerperimeter thereof and with lower ends fixed to the lower frame inward ofthe outer perimeter thereof, means related to the lower frame defining abottom, a plurality of spaced supports adjacent to opposite sides of theupper frame and projecting inwardly from the inner perimeter of and frombelow the upper frame, a plurality of laterally outwardly openingnotches along the two sides of the lower frame below the sides of theupper frame with which the supports are related, said container adaptedto be selectively arranged in stacked or nested relationship with otherlike containers arranged in vertical axial alignment therewith, thesupports and notches of the containers arranged so that the notches ofeach container are out of register with the supports of an adjacentlower container when adjacent containers are in a first relativerotative position and are in register with each other when thecontainers are in a second relative rotative position with each other sothat the supports of each container engage and stop the lower frame ofan upper adjacent container related thereto in said first positionwhereby the related containers are in vertical stacked relationship andso that the lower frames of each container moves downwardly by thesupports into the confines of a lower adjacent container and into nestedengagement therewith when adjacent containers are in said secondposition.

2. A container as set forth in claim 1 wherein, said supports arepositioned below the upper frame so that when the lower frame of thecontainer is engaged and stopped by the supports of an adjacent lowercontainer the said lower frame occurs within the confines of the upperframe of the lower container whereby the upper frame of the lowercontainer retains and prevents lateral and longitudinal shifting anddisplacement of the container relative to the lower container.

3. A container as set forth in claim 1 wherein, said supports aredefined by laterally extending offsets established in the upper portionof columns fixed to and extending between the upper and lower frame.

4. A container as set forth in claim 1 wherein, said supports arepositioned below the upper frame so that when the lower frame of thecontainer is engaged and stopped by the supports of an adjacent lowercontainer the said lower frame occurs within the confines of the upperframe of the lower container whereby the upper frame of the lowercontainer retains and prevents lateral and longitudinal shifting anddisplacement of the container relative to the lower container, saidsupports are defined by laterally extending offsets established in theupper portion of columns fixed to and extending between the upper andlower frames.

5. A container as set forth in claim 1 wherein the notches and thesupports at each side of the container are in vertical alignment witheach other and occur opposite vertically aligned supports and notches atthe other side of the container, the pairs of opposite, aligned supportsand notches occurring on vertical, transverse planes through thecontainer spaced difierent distances from and parallel with the central,

transverse vertical plane of the container.

6. A container as set forth in claim 1 wherein the notches along eachside of the container are spaced equally one from the other, the notchesat one side of the container are on transverse vertical planes throughthe container midway between the notches on the other side of thecontainer and the supports on each side of the container occur in commonvertical transverse planes with the notches on the opposite side of thebody.

7. A container as set forth in claim 1 wherein the notches along eachside of the container are spaced equally one from the other, the notchesat one side of the container are on transverse vertical planes throughthe container midway between the notches on the other side of thecontainer and the supports on each side of the container occur in commonvertical transverse planes with the notches on the opposite side of thebody, said supports are defined by laterally extending offsetsestablished in the upper portion of columns fixed to and extendingbetween the upper and lower frames.

8. A container as set forth in claim 1 and further including anintermediate rectangular frame spaced between the upper and lowerframes, said intermediate frame corresponding substantially in insideand outside dimensions with the upper frame and fixed to outer sides ofthe columns, said intermediate frame of each container adapted to engagethe upper frame of an adjacent lower container when adjacent containersare in their second rotative position and to limit nested engagement ofone container within another.

1. A rigid container for the reception of goods and adapted to beselectively engaged with like containers in vertical stacked or nestedengagement, said container comprising: a rectangular lower frame, arectangular upper frame above the lower frame, the outside dimensions ofthe lower frame being less than the inside dimensions of the upperframe, a plurality of vertically extending columns spaced about theframes with upper ends fixed to the upper frame outward of the innerperimeter thereof and with lower ends fixed to the lower frame inward ofthe outer perimeter thereof, means related to the lower frame defining abottom, a plurality of spaced supports adjacent to opposite sides of theupper frame and projecting inwardly from the inner perimeter of and frombelow the upper frame, a plurality of laterally outwardly openingnotches along the two sides of the lower frame below the sides of theupper frame with which the supports are related, said container adaptedto be selectively arranged in stacked or nested relationship with otherlike containers arranged in vertical axial alignment therewith, thesupports and notches of the containers arranged so that the notches ofeach container are out of register with the supports of an adjacentlower container when adjacent containers are in a first relativerotative position and are in register with each other when thecontainers are in a second relative rotative position with each other sothat the supports of each container engage and stop the lower frame ofan upper adjacent container related thereto in said first positionwhereby the related containers are in vertical stacked relationship andso that the lower frames of each container moves downwardly by thesupports into the confines of a lower adjacent container and into nestedengagement therewith when adjacent containers are in said secondposition.
 2. A container as set forth in claim 1 wherein, said supportsare positioned below the upper frame so that when the lower frame of thecontainer is engaged and stopped by the supports of an adjacent lowercontainer the said lower frame occurs within the confines of the upperframe of the lower container whereby the upper frame of the lowercontainer retains and prevents lateral and longitudinal shifting anddisplacement of the container relative to the lower container.
 3. Acontainer as set forth in claim 1 wherein, said supports are defined bylaterally extending offsets established in the upper portion of columnsfixed to and extending between the upper and lower frame.
 4. A containeras set forth in claim 1 wherein, said supports are positioned below theupper frame so that when the lower frame of the container is engaged andstopped by the supports of an adjacent lower container the said lowerframe occurs within the confines of the upper frame of the lowercontainer whereby the upper frame of the lower container retains andprevents lateral and longitudinal shifting and displacement of thecontainer relative to the lower container, said supports are defined bylaterally extending offsets established in the upper portion of columnsfixed to and extending between the upper and lower frames.
 5. Acontainer as set forth in claim 1 wherein the notches and the supportsat each side of the container are in vertical alignment with each otherand occur opposite vertically aligned supports and notches at the otherside of the container, the pairs of opposite, aligned supports andnotches occurring on vertical, transverse planes through the containerspaced different distances from and parallel with the central,transverse vertical plane of the container.
 6. A container as set forthin claim 1 wherein the notches along each side of The container arespaced equally one from the other, the notches at one side of thecontainer are on transverse vertical planes through the container midwaybetween the notches on the other side of the container and the supportson each side of the container occur in common vertical transverse planeswith the notches on the opposite side of the body.
 7. A container as setforth in claim 1 wherein the notches along each side of the containerare spaced equally one from the other, the notches at one side of thecontainer are on transverse vertical planes through the container midwaybetween the notches on the other side of the container and the supportson each side of the container occur in common vertical transverse planeswith the notches on the opposite side of the body, said supports aredefined by laterally extending offsets established in the upper portionof columns fixed to and extending between the upper and lower frames. 8.A container as set forth in claim 1 and further including anintermediate rectangular frame spaced between the upper and lowerframes, said intermediate frame corresponding substantially in insideand outside dimensions with the upper frame and fixed to outer sides ofthe columns, said intermediate frame of each container adapted to engagethe upper frame of an adjacent lower container when adjacent containersare in their second rotative position and to limit nested engagement ofone container within another.